The field of packaging systems which store a single dosage of medicated compositions have become of importance and interest in the pharmaceutical industry. There are many such devices, and recently interest has focused on those applications in which two or more ingredients and/or diluents are kept separate from one another in a single container, such as in a multi-chambered container. Prepackaging of specific doses or quantities is important to save time during the application of medicines or nutritional compositions which need to be mixed promptly and in precise ratios and administered in accurate dosages.
Potent drugs which rapidly deteriorate when mixed together invariably require that they be housed separately. To facilitate the accurate and timely dispensing of the needed drug, single dosage containers having a plurality of separately stored active components and/or diluents are particularly advantageous. Moreover, single use containers tend to facilitate the sterile administration of medication by eliminating the potential contamination often associated with multiple dose containers.
Devices providing separate compartments in a single container for separately storing different medicinal components are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,545,606 to Larkin and 5,207,509 to Herbert. These containers, however, require elaborate operation and additional external devices for their use. Moreover, these containers store multiple dosages which, upon repeated dispensing, may lead to contamination of the contents.
Multicomponent container systems which prevent users from only dispensing one component is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,869 to Hudson. Conventional devices, however, suffer from the drawback in that they do not recognize contamination can potentially occur during dispensing of the components.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,244,120 and 5,269,441 both to O'Meara disclose dual chamber medicant dispensers. These devices are deficient in not being able to either accurately deliver the entire contents of the container or effectively prevent the contents of the container from contacting a non-sterile surface.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for a single-use container that separately stores sterile compositions which can be easily and accurately dispensed from the container. A further continuing need exists for a container that can dispense the contents thereof without contamination being caused by contact with non-sterile surfaces of the container.